Gang-edger



(ModeL) S. B. SMITH & 'E. MYERS.

GANG EDGER.

No. 343,405. Patented June 8, 1886.

- (r 5 J Wzmwast Hi 25 AV m v 61772216 7721 6 M M 15? 6 zzzwarde/al era U N I D ST T S PATENT OFFIC SAMUEL B. SMITH AND EDWARD MYERS, on CINCINNATI, OHIO.

GANG-EDGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,405, dated June 8, 1886.

Application filed August 3, 1885. Serial No. 173.409. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAMUEL B. SMITH and EDWARD MYERS, residents of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gang-Edgers, of which the following is a specification.

Our inventionrelates to an improvement in gang-edgers.

One of the objects of our invention is to apply adjusting-jaws to the collars of the adj ustable saws, which hold the saw in a fixed position for work.

Another object of our invention is to com-' bine with these jaws an adjustable carriage,

which can be moved laterally to and fro for changing the adjustment of the saws, either 1 when running or stationary.

Another object of our invention is to provide clamping devices operated at the rear of the machine, whereby the'operator can clamp the adjusting shafts at their front ends near the saws and prevent accidental displacement -of the saws.

Another object of our invention is to provide suitable means for lubricating the collarjaws, all of which will be fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top plan View with sections broken off to show the details of construction; Fig. 2, aside elevation of one of the adjustingsaws and connections; Fig. 3, a detached sectional front elevation; Fig. 4., a perspective View of one of the collar-guides.

Fig. 6 is a modification of the clamping device.

' class of edgers usually employs one stationary saw rigidly secured to shaft B, the construetion of which is not shown, as it is common and well known.

Fig. 5 is a rear sectional elevation of the guide-bracket.

We have shown two adjustable saws, but any desired number may be employed according to the principles of our invention.

. E represents a cross-head; rigidly attached to the frame of the machine. It is provided with two channels, 4 and 5, which serve as ways for racks. They are open upon the top .side, so as to form convenient means for attachlng the saw-carriage, and they are provided with flanges each side of the slots or openings, as shown in dotted lines, Figs. 1

and 3.

13 represents adj listing-shafts, j ournaled upon the frame Aat one end, and in the crosshead E at the forward end.

14 represents the j ournal-bracket at the rear end of one of the shafts 13. Its rear face or edge is cam-shaped. 15 represents an adjusting-wheel keyed to this shaft.

16 represents a cam engaging with the face of sleeve or journal bracket 14.. It is operated by means of a handle, 17. The rear face of the cam-shaped collar 16 is plane, and bears against the plane face of the hub of hand-wheel 15, so that as the cam-collar 16 is moved by the handle to or fro the shaft13 ismoved longitudinally in its journals.

G represents pinions mounted on shaft 13; g, a flange formed on the face of the pinion, and projecting up one side of the teeth of rack 6, with which the pinion engages. The shaft 13 is moved in its bearingsby the cam 16.

When the shaft shown in Fig. 2 is in the position there shown, the cam 16 has drawn the shaft 13 backward, drawing the flange y of the pinion firmly against the front face of the rack 6, clamping the rack between the flange g and the rear edge, h, of way 4, so as to make a friction-clutch to hold rack 6 firmly in position.

This holds the saw-carriage 7 firmly in position. and prevents liability of a lateral move ment of the saw. It also relieves the shaft 13 from torsional strain. Now,when it is desired to adjust the saw (shown in Fig. 2,) cam 16 is turned back by its handle 17, so as to release the frictional grip of flange g,when shaft 13 may be easily revolved in either direction by hand-wheel 15. This will move rack 6 in the gain or ways 4, carrying with it the jaws on carriage 7, and the saw 0 is slid laterally on the feathered shaft by the grip of the jaws F on the collars of the saw. As soon as the saw is moved the desired distance, cam 16 is set to grip the flange g of the pinion against the rack, which holds the saw firmly in position for work. The other saw is operated by a similar rack moving in gain but in this case the pinion is provided with a flange, g, on its rear face, and the cam 18 is placed on the front of sleeve 19, and bears against collar 20, to make a frictional grip of the pinion, by moving the shaft and pinion forward, forcing flange 9 against the rear edge of the rack. The clutch is therefore operated in the reverse manner from the formerly described device shown in Fig. 2.

An inferior modification of the clutch is shown in Fig. 6, in which the flange is omitted Fig. 4. The box of jaw F is filled with waste and oil, or other lubricant, so that the inner faces of the jaw F, which bear against the collars, are thoroughly lubricated.

Hitherto it has been difficult to employ suitable collar-guides to hold the saw in position, on account of the heating and wearing away of the guides and grooves; but when jaws F are made in the form here shown they are easily kept well lubricated, andthis trouble is avoided.

21 represents a shaft on which is keyed a series of collars, 22, which are provided with grooves 23, carrying afeed-roller, 24, one feedroller being employed foreach saw.

The rear end of the bracket 7 is provided with a lug, 25, which fits into the groove 23. The collars 22 are feathered on the shaft 21,

simultaneously with the saw to which it is set opposite.

Various modes have hitherto been employed for adjusting edger-saws on the shaft. Grooved collars have been employed-similar to the form here shown for adjusting the feedrollers; but these are objectionable. As the saws move with such rapidity, and as they are subject to lateral thrusts. from the lumber, these grooved collars wear and produce lost motion in the saw. Again, attempts have been made to move the saw by means of the blade-guides. leaving the center of the saw free; but this has been found objectionable, first, because you cannot adjust the saw when it is not in motion, but have to depend on the motion of the saw to adjust it readily; second, the blade-guides have to be set so close together to hold the saw in position that they wear rapidly; and, again, the blade-guides are liable to be displaced, owing to the severe strain which they receive, having to be often adjusted, fitted, or replaced, whereas by the method here shown metallic jaws can be employed to hold the center of the saw in fixed position, that can be set by a frictional grip,

so that all danger of lateral displacement of y the saw or wearing away of the blade-guides ceive the heavier strain or thrusts,-being set a to bear against the collars, can be made of metal, and wear longer; but in case of the wearing of the face of the jaw it can be readily taken up by means of the slotted screwholes pierced through flange 8, as shown in Fig. 5.

By our improvement the operator can, at the rear of the machine, readily control the adjustment of the saws, either when standing or in motion, and can clamp them rigidly in position, so as to avoid all danger of their accidental displacement.

We claim- 1. In combination with the saw of an edging-machine, an adjusting-carriage slotted to receive the blade of the saw, the collar-jaws rigidly secured to each fork, the inner face of said jaws bearing against the vertical faces of collar 0, and a rearward extension of the car- :riage with one or more lugs moving in ways in cross-head E, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the adjusting-carin cross-head E, the driving-pinion meshing,

with the rack-teeth and mounted on the adjustingshaft, which has a longitudinal movement for clamping the adjusting-rack and carriage to firmly hold them in any desired ad- .ustmcnt substantiall as s cified. so that the feed-rollers 24 are each adjusted y De 3. In combination with the adjusting-carriage and rack, the pinion mounted on the adjusting-shaft, and a cam mounted on the rear of the shaft adapted to move it longitudinally for clamping and releasing the adjusting mechanism, substantially as specified.

4. In combination with a gang-edger, two or more adjustable saws, each provided with an adj usting-carriage, each being connected to an individual rack moving in ways in-crosshead E, and having pinions, adj listing-shafts, and mechanism for clamping the racks by a longitudinal movement of the adj listing-shaft at the rear of the machine, whereby one or more of the saws maybe adjusted to each other and clamped in varying positions, substantially as 6. The collar-jaw F, provided with a cavity for holding lubricating material, and with a groove, d, pierced in the inner face of the guide,whereby the collars and guides are kept 2o constantly lubricated, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have. hereunto set our hands.

, SAMUEL B. SMITH. EDWARD MYERS.

Witnesses;

ROBERT ZAHNER, M. E. MILLIKAN. 

